Launching Awareness
Did You Know?
The Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU) is a specialized hospital unit designed to care for newborns who need extra medical support in their earliest days of life. Staffed by experienced neonatologists, nurses, and specialists, the NICU provides advanced technology and constant monitoring to help fragile babies grow stronger. Babies may be admitted to the NICU for many reasons—premature birth, low birth weight, breathing difficulties, infections, congenital conditions, or complications during delivery. Some babies need just a short stay, while others require weeks or even months of specialized care.
For families, the NICU journey is one of the unimaginable highs and lows. NICU babies are small but fierce, fighting every milestone—from taking their first breaths without support to gaining weight, regulating their temperature, or learning to feed. Their parents and loved ones face their own trials: the emotional weight of uncertainty, the physical and mental exhaustion, and the difficult balance of daily life outside the hospital. Yet, in the midst of the beeping monitors and long days, there are profound moments of hope—first touches, steady progress, and the joy of seeing a tiny fighter grow stronger each day.
At Houston’s Lift Off, we recognize that the NICU experience is a journey no family expects, and every story is unique. We honor the resilience of NICU babies and the unwavering courage of the families who stand beside them, offering support, compassion, and resources to help lighten the load during one of life’s most challenging chapters.
300-400 babies are admitted into our local Akron Children’s NICU inside Aultman Hospital
September is NICU Awareness Month
This wonderful organization aligns with our mission in serving the NICU community. Project Sweet Peas shares the common goal of providing care packages, recognizes NICU awareness month, has a breast pump program, and so much more!
October: Pregnancy and Infant Loss Awareness Month
Each October, we pause to honor the precious babies gone too soon and the families whose lives are forever changed by pregnancy and infant loss. This month serves as a time of remembrance, awareness, and connection—bringing light to a topic often left in the shadows. At Houston’s Lift Off, we stand beside families walking this difficult journey, offering support, compassion, and understanding. Together, we remember the tiny lives that left the biggest imprints on our hearts and continue to raise awareness, so no family ever feels alone in their grief. 1 in 4 women will experience such loss. October 15th is recognized worldwide as Pregnancy and Infant Loss Awareness Day.
Launching Our Rocketship to Heaven Fund
We are honored to gently introduce our first-ever bereavement service, the Rocketship to Heaven Fund—a program created from love, compassion, and a deep understanding of loss. This heartfelt initiative was designed to support families navigating the unimaginable pain of saying goodbye to their baby. Through this fund, we will provide beautiful urns to families in need, offering a small but meaningful way to honor and cherish their child’s memory. Due to limited funding, availability will be restricted, and families must complete a grant application to be considered for sponsorship. It is our hope that this program brings even the slightest sense of comfort, reminding families that they are not alone and that their baby’s life, no matter how brief, will always be remembered and celebrated.
Link to application for us to be able to sponsor an urn :